3 ms·

I also just bought a cast iron frying pan and it should be delivered today. I'm mainly curious about how good it can cook without having the nonstick layer, whi

by steven2012 12y ago

I also just bought a cast iron frying pan and it should be delivered today. I'm mainly curious about how good it can cook without having the nonstick layer, which feels dubious considering I am terrible at ensuring I don't use too much heat which would melt the Teflon and presumably poison me. Cast iron with oil/butter may be a bit greasier but hopefully more forgiving given my blunt culinary abilities.

hvs 12y ago
If you season it appropriately (see the original article) you should be able to slide an egg on it.
- evilduck 12y ago
  That will just never happen on new cast iron. Old stuff was machined smooth from the factory, new stuff has a texture on par with sandpaper. Unless you intend to take a dremel tool or whatever to your new cast iron before you begin using it, you're just not going to get a surface comparable to a Teflon pan without years of use to build up a layer of seasoning that smooths out the castings peaks and valleys. I've got a newish, rough Lodge and a vintage smooth Wagner that I both stripped and reseasoned (with just Canola oil. This flaxseed method is overkill IMO). The Wagner can cook eggs like teflon; the Lodge, even after two years of heavy use is still pretty rough for eggs, its nonstick enough for most other foods. Cast iron is nice and I prefer it for its properties besides the nonstick abiluty, but for the casual home cook making eggs, Teflon is pretty foolproof.
ikawe 12y ago
This article is targeting people who want to do a really serious job of creating that non-stick layer - and good for them. But I would forgive you if you were too lazy to follow their instructions (I probably am). But a rudimentary seasoning is really easy: Wipe some oil over the pan. Use as [high temp oil] as possible, but whatever you have will work. Wipe off any access with a paper towel. Put it in your oven at 230(C)/450(F) for at least 30 minutes. (careful it will smoke a bit). I couldn't recommend using it at all without some base layer of seasoning. It's really easy to do and lasts quite a while, even if you don't follow the articles really thorough methodology. source: me - frying with cast-irons twice a day for 10 years [high temp oil] aka those with the highest "smoke point" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_oil#Types_of_oils_and_their_characteristics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_oil#Types_of_oils_and_t...
- maxerickson 12y ago
  Much of the point of the article is that smoke point is a less useful guide than the composition of the oil. If you don't want to use flax seed oil, just use canola oil.

hvs 12y ago

If you season it appropriately (see the original article) you should be able to slide an egg on it.

evilduck 12y ago
That will just never happen on new cast iron. Old stuff was machined smooth from the factory, new stuff has a texture on par with sandpaper. Unless you intend to take a dremel tool or whatever to your new cast iron before you begin using it, you're just not going to get a surface comparable to a Teflon pan without years of use to build up a layer of seasoning that smooths out the castings peaks and valleys. I've got a newish, rough Lodge and a vintage smooth Wagner that I both stripped and reseasoned (with just Canola oil. This flaxseed method is overkill IMO). The Wagner can cook eggs like teflon; the Lodge, even after two years of heavy use is still pretty rough for eggs, its nonstick enough for most other foods. Cast iron is nice and I prefer it for its properties besides the nonstick abiluty, but for the casual home cook making eggs, Teflon is pretty foolproof.

ikawe 12y ago

This article is targeting people who want to do a really serious job of creating that non-stick layer - and good for them. But I would forgive you if you were too lazy to follow their instructions (I probably am). But a rudimentary seasoning is really easy: Wipe some oil over the pan. Use as [high temp oil] as possible, but whatever you have will work. Wipe off any access with a paper towel. Put it in your oven at 230(C)/450(F) for at least 30 minutes. (careful it will smoke a bit). I couldn't recommend using it at all without some base layer of seasoning. It's really easy to do and lasts quite a while, even if you don't follow the articles really thorough methodology. source: me - frying with cast-irons twice a day for 10 years [high temp oil] aka those with the highest "smoke point" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_oil#Types_of_oils_and_their_characteristics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_oil#Types_of_oils_and_t...

maxerickson 12y ago
Much of the point of the article is that smoke point is a less useful guide than the composition of the oil. If you don't want to use flax seed oil, just use canola oil.